Appleton Wisconsin Residential Rent and Rental Statistics
The median monthly gross residential rent in Appleton, WI (the Appleton metro area) was $803 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent in Appleton was $799 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Appleton median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.
Data is also available below for Appleton rental vacancy rates, Appleton rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Appleton.
Real Gross Rent in Appleton Wisconsin (2019 dollars)2
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US Median Gross Rent | $1,097 | +1.86% | +6.82% |
| Wisconsin Median Gross Rent | $867 | +0.58% | +3.21% |
| Appleton, WI Median Gross Rent | $803 | +0.37% | +3.88% |
Appleton, WI Real Gross Rent Trends
Median gross rent for Appleton peaked in real terms in 2015 at $822 and is now $19 (2.31%) lower. Average gross rent for Appleton peaked in real terms in 2018 at $830 and is now $31 (3.73%) lower.
Real Gross Rent in Appleton: Appleton WI Median, Appleton WI Average, Wisconsin Median, US Median
Real Gross Rent History for Appleton
| Date | US Median |
Wisconsin Median |
Appleton, WI Median |
Appleton, WI Average |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $1,097 | $867 | $803 | $799 |
| 2018 | $1,077 | $862 | $800 | $830 |
| 2017 | $1,043 | $844 | $788 | $759 |
| 2016 | $1,027 | $840 | $773 | $796 |
| 2015 | $1,017 | $840 | $822 | $827 |
| 2014 | $986 | $826 | $754 | $769 |
| 2013 | $953 | $798 | $752 | $781 |
| 2012 | $940 | $790 | $740 | $762 |
| 2011 | $941 | $798 | $739 | $810 |
| 2010 | $955 | $799 | $755 | $791 |
| 2009 | $960 | $807 | $764 | $776 |
| 2007 | $927 | $791 | $752 | $746 |
| 2005 | $910 | $804 | $761 | $759 |
Appleton Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Appleton Wisconsin was 2.64% according to Census ACS data.
Rental Vacancy Rate in Appleton Wisconsin
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 5.97% | -0.18% | +0.08% |
| Wisconsin | 4.93% | -0.46% | +0.08% |
| Appleton, WI | 2.64% | -0.02% | -1.81% |
Trends in Appleton, WI Rental Vacancy Rate
The rental vacancy rate in Appleton peaked in 2012 at 8.63%. Since then it has fallen by 5.99% to 2.64%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.
Rental Vacancy Rate: Appleton WI, Wisconsin, US
Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Appleton
| Date | US | Wisconsin | Appleton, WI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 5.97% | 4.93% | 2.64% |
| 2018 | 6.15% | 5.39% | 2.66% |
| 2017 | 6.18% | 5.20% | 3.14% |
| 2016 | 5.89% | 4.85% | 4.45% |
| 2015 | 5.85% | 4.67% | 4.77% |
| 2014 | 6.32% | 4.64% | 5.05% |
| 2013 | 6.49% | 5.22% | 6.78% |
| 2012 | 6.77% | 5.48% | 8.63% |
| 2011 | 7.40% | 5.17% | 5.38% |
| 2010 | 8.17% | 6.16% | 1.23% |
| 2009 | 8.43% | 5.86% | 6.90% |
| 2007 | 7.87% | 6.83% | 7.04% |
| 2005 | 7.74% | 6.49% | 4.84% |
Rent as a Fraction of Income
Using median household income data for Appleton, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Appleton, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 14.10% in 2019 according to the ACS.
Appleton Wisconsin Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 20.03% | -0.47% | -0.40% |
| Wisconsin | 16.21% | -0.51% | -0.73% |
| Appleton, WI | 14.10% | -0.23% | +0.24% |
Trends in Appleton, WI Rent as a Fraction of Income
The fraction of median Appleton household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2015 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 15.18%. Since then it has fallen by 1.08% to 14.10%.
Fraction of Income towards Rent: Appleton WI, Wisconsin, US
Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Appleton Wisconsin
| Date | US | Wisconsin | Appleton, WI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 20.03% | 16.21% | 14.10% |
| 2018 | 20.50% | 16.72% | 14.33% |
| 2017 | 20.13% | 16.57% | 13.89% |
| 2016 | 20.43% | 16.94% | 13.86% |
| 2015 | 20.63% | 17.08% | 15.18% |
| 2014 | 20.89% | 17.83% | 14.25% |
| 2013 | 20.78% | 17.67% | 14.67% |
| 2012 | 20.65% | 17.46% | 13.88% |
| 2011 | 20.70% | 17.60% | 14.11% |
| 2010 | 20.50% | 17.51% | 14.52% |
| 2009 | 20.12% | 16.99% | 14.44% |
| 2007 | 18.66% | 15.97% | 13.51% |
| 2005 | 18.89% | 16.38% | 13.42% |
Renter Fraction in Appleton Wisconsin
You can calculate the renter fraction in Appleton in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Appleton as a fraction of total Appleton households. In 2019 27.01% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.
Appleton Fraction of Renters by Household Units
| 2019 | 1 Year Change | 3 Year Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 35.89% | -0.16% | -0.99% |
| Wisconsin | 32.80% | -0.06% | -0.54% |
| Appleton, WI | 27.01% | +1.06% | +0.10% |
Trends in the Appleton, WI Renter Fraction
The Appleton household renter fraction peaked in in 2014 at 28.97% and is now 1.96% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.
Fraction of Renting Households: Appleton WI, Wisconsin, US
History of Appleton Renter Fraction
| Date | US | Wisconsin | Appleton, WI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 35.89% | 32.80% | 27.01% |
| 2018 | 36.05% | 32.86% | 25.95% |
| 2017 | 36.13% | 33.39% | 27.05% |
| 2016 | 36.88% | 33.34% | 26.91% |
| 2015 | 36.97% | 33.21% | 26.31% |
| 2014 | 36.90% | 33.40% | 28.97% |
| 2013 | 36.50% | 32.82% | 27.40% |
| 2012 | 36.09% | 32.71% | 25.77% |
| 2011 | 35.42% | 32.15% | 25.89% |
| 2010 | 34.65% | 31.30% | 24.33% |
| 2009 | 34.13% | 31.02% | 24.73% |
| 2007 | 32.80% | 29.92% | 26.12% |
| 2005 | 33.10% | 29.88% | 22.39% |
1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability. ↩
2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series. ↩
3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied. ↩
